Foreign Policy Online Mag
has a decent article that captures some of the complex issues regarding the state of play in HO and greater Central America. The author gives eloquent voice to the raw points I was trying to make in an earlier post.
http://www.foreignpolicy.com/article...ming_crisis?ab
I've been waiting for this to appear
Here you go: LINK.
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Dayuhan
I'm not suggesting that they shouldn't be called on it, I'm suggesting that the US not be the one to do the calling...Nothing could please them more than to have us blustering and drawing lines in the sand for him to step over.
I said nothing of drawing lines -- just said to point out that his fingers are dirty. We could've done that and then affected disdain -- that would annoy him more than anything and annoyed people do dumb things.
Quote:
...Playing that game with him is not going to help us.
Totally agree and that is why I didn't suggest doing so. ;)
So we did what you suggested and, right on cue, there's our boy. He was going to rant no matter what we did, thus my point to call him on it and thus increase his bluster quotient while then ignoring him. He'd do something really stupid to get attention. :cool:
Not to worry, he'll present other opportunities to excel; perhaps we can do better next time. Catering to or apologizing to people who do not wish you well merely invites more abuse. Frequently a sharp word -- or action -- will stop that foolishness. Pity Carter, Reagan, Bush 41 and Clinton didn't realize that; life could be different today had they done so. Hopefully, the current Administration will learn that.
It doesn't hurt us, that's not an issue; it missed a chance to jerk him around.
That's not idle pettiness on my part -- he's volatile and impetuous if very shrewd, the more irked he is, the more likely he will overstep and insure his own demise and thus a little more freedom for most Venazuelans. The absence of his frothing is no real plus because he'll be replaced by another somewhere.
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Dayuhan
If we "call him on it" we just initiate a dialogue that goes nowhere.
You shouldn't enter in to dialogues with folks like Hugo, pointless. Just slyly point out their flaws to the world and refuse to engage them. Drives them up a wall. Bush understood that, Obama apparently does not. Which is surprising.
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Normally I would say there's no reason to even respond...It mioght also be worth pointing out that Obama repeatedly stated during his campaign that negotiation would be his administration's preferred approach to international crises, even if that means negotiating with governments we disapprove of or whose legitimacy we question.
Agree with all that.
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I sense a bit of desperation from the Hugo camp; the issue is fading from the headlines and they know all too well that time is not on their side here.
I agree. He's overdone a lot of things and is in process of making enemies in South and Central America. They will continue to express Latin solidarity and be polite but he's being slowly and gently excluded. Also looks as though his fellow Socialist Insulza might not get another term at OAS.
Everything goes in cycles... :wry:
Apparently the Venezualan Ambassador
thinks not LINK.
Gotta love it. Gamemanship for the big kids... :rolleyes: